Matt Rempe confident in build toward becoming true Rangers power forward despite latest bogus call
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Early in the third period of the Rangers’ eventual 3-2 overtime win over the Wild on Thursday night, Minnesota forward Devin Shore incidentally skated into Matt Rempe and ricocheted off the big-bodied 22-year-old. Referee Brandon Blandina charged Rempe with interference, the Wild went on the power play, and they scored to tie the game up at one-all. “The ref came up and apologized in the third to me,” Rempe said after an optional Rangers practice Friday afternoon at OhioHealth Chiller Ice Rink.“He came up and said it just looked bad from his angle and stuff.
He said he just made a mistake.You make mistakes.
That’s what happens.It is what it is. “I’m a polarizing figure, per se, with that stuff, and I guess that stuff happens.
Just try to keep working on my game because I think it’s coming along nicely.” It was far from the first time this has happened to Rempe, who of course has earned his reputation around the NHL by way of two multi-game suspensions packed into his first 48 regular-season appearances in the league. This has been something Rempe has had to navigate since his days in the Western Hockey League. The Calgary native, always with a mature perspective, wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s been the exact same bias he dealt with in juniors, noting that it was just two instances in the past two games. On Tuesday in Winnipeg, Rempe was assessed a questionable goaltender interference penalty by the same ref, Blandina, early in the second period of a 2-1 Rangers loss.Former Blueshirt Morgan Barron blatantly shoved Rempe into Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, but No.
73 was penalized all the same. The Jets went on to score on that power play, too, which ultimately was the game-winner. “There’s always conversations that go on,” head coach Peter Laviolette said when asked if the Rangers can address the matter with the NHL.“Game happens fast out there.
But with regard to Matt, we’re just trying to get him t...